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SECTION 87. (Collection and Disposal of refuse). This important public
health service is the responsibility of the Borough Engineer and Surveyor, who
informs me that house refuse is collected weekly from dwelling houses in the
Borough but in cases of blocks of flats collections are made at periods varying
from weekly to daily, according to the conditions and circumstances applicable.
Approximately half the refuse collected in the Borough is disposed of by
Islington Borough Council under an agreement and is conveyed by rail from the
Islington depot to a controlled tip in Hertfordshire. The remainder is
taken to Homerton Wharf where it is barged and conveyed to a controlled tip in
Essex. Kitchen waste to the amount of 4,392 tons was sold to the Tottenham
Borough Council for conversion into pig food. The amount of house refuse
collected and destroyed totalled approximately 40,708 tons. In addition some
204 tons of trade refuse was delivered by traders direct to Homerton Wharf,
Materials salvaged totalled 337 tons of metal and 139 tons of waste paper.
SECTIONS 95-103. (Water Supply). The Metropolitan Water Board is the
statutory authority for London's water supply. All houses in the Borough are
supplied direct from the Board's mains. There are 10 premises, one a hospital
and nine business premises, at which a total of 14 wells are in use; eight
disused wells exist at five other premises. The water from three of the
functioning wells at Hackney Hospital, W. Connell & Company Limited, Baker's
Hill, and the Clapton Stadium, Millfields Road, is used for drinking purposes
but that from the other 11 wells is used only for trade purposes. All the
wells in use are "deep wells", made by boring through the various strata and
clay to the chalk or other water-bearing stratum, and vary in depth from 300
to 664 feet.
Under the provisions of Sections 95(2) 26 certificates were issued in
respect of new or rebuilt flats, bungalows and houses, comprising 259 separate
units of living accommodation.
During the course of various forms of inspection waste of water from defective
fittings, etc., was observed at 230 premises and notifications thereof
were sent to the Metropolitan Water Board. Section 98 requires the Metropolitan
Water Board to notify the Council of premises from which the water
supply has been discontinued. All such premises were inspected and, where
necessary, notices requiring the reinstatement of the supply were served on
the owners of the property. In one instance the owner/occupier of the dwelling
house was summoned under Section 109 for discontinuing the supply to the
accommodation occupied by a tenant; a penalty was imposed and the costs
awarded to the Council.
SECTION 107. (Dustbins). It is the practice in this Borough to rely upon
the by-laws made by the London County Council under Section 39(1) of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1891 and continued in force by Section 307 of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, in order to secure the provision of dustbins,
rather than to proceed under Section 105 of the latter Act. Under the
by-laws the obligation is solely on the owner, whereas under Section 105 of
the Public Health Act a notice may be served on either the owner or the occupier.
A total of 170 notices was served under these by-laws upon owners failing
to maintain dust receptacles in proper condition; in three cases only was it
necessary to institute legal proceedings and in each case the summons was withdrawn
on payment of the Council,s costs as the dustbins had meanwhile been supplied.